Zamfara State government has dissociated itself from the ongoing plans by some suspected group of individuals claiming to be the agents of Peace Accord initiated by the Federal Government to negotiate with bandits with a view to address the lingering security challenges in the State.
This rejection was contained in a press statement issued yesterday, signed by the State Commissioner of Information and Culture, Comrade Mannir Mu’azu Haidara ?aura, in Gusau, the state capital,.
Recall that recently, Northern leaders and stakeholders in the North had warned the Federal Government and Zamfara State government to stop playing politics with the lives of the people of the region following the face-off between them over the allegation that the Federal Government was secretly negotiating with bandits in Zamfara State without involving the State.
Governor Dauda Lawal, of Zamfara, had accused the Federal Government of sabotaging the ongoing fight against banditry in the State by negotiating with bandits behind the State government.
In the statement, the State Government said, “We noted with dismay over the attitudes of some unpatriotic group of people claiming to be assigned by the Federal Government to go round in some parts of the State and negotiate with bandits as part of the measure to end banditry activities in the state. The State government describes the step as illegal and against the wishes of the State government and entire people of the State.
Zamfara State government is not Party to it and is not supporting the move. In several occasions, His Excellency, Governor Dauda Lawal announced that his government has no plans to negotiate or support any peace accord with bandits operating in Zamfara State.
“The move is politically motivated by the enamies of the state with mission to demoralise the plans and commitment of the present administration in fighting banditry and other criminal activities in the State.
“The State government has rejected the so-called peace accord initiative with bandits by these group of individuals and call on the general public as well as security agencies to manitor and reject their movement in the State; it is against the wishes of the entire people of Zamfara State and politically constituted to cause mayhem to our security agencies and the present administration of Governor Dauda Lawal’s efforts in tackling the current security challenges in the State”.
“The general public is hereby assured that the State government, in collaboration with security agencies, are on top of the security situation in the State and is working tirelessly to ensure that peace returned to the state and the lives and properties of the entire Zamfara people are protected, issues of banditry has became a history in the State”, the statement added.
The State government extended its condolences and sympathy to the victims of the recent banditry attacks at Sakaji and Bilbis villages, in ?auran-Namoda and Tsafe local governments areas, describing the incidents as unfortunate which would not be allowed to continue.
